Conference Program

Adopted and foster children are children who, for different reasons, have been separated from their birth families. This separation means that their lives have been marked by adverse situations at an early age.

These difficult experiences, prior to adoption and/or fostering, usually influence their development at different levels (emotional, social, cognitive, etc.), which can result in difficulties in learning processes and social relationships with their peers or the adults who accompany them throughout their schooling, among other things.

In order to minimise these difficulties, the school environment must become an emotionally safe space, adapted in its daily practice to the diversity of the students.

Educational practices that promote inclusion

When discussing educational practices that promote inclusion, it is essential to take into account UDL (Universal Design for Learning), which promotes flexibility in the curriculum to adapt it to different learning styles and paces. Based on this idea, the following are considered inclusive practices:

• Adapting resources and materials to facilitate access to information for each student:

- Visual and audio incentives, graphics and diagrams, various material supports and textures...

• Using emotionally-based open methodologies that promote group cohesion, combating discriminatory attitudes, fostering respect for diversity and increasing self-esteem:

- Teamwork, peer tutoring, diversity projects, talking circles…

• Planning activities that can be adapted to different learning paces and with different options for execution:

- Hands-on activities, experimentation, discussion, reading aloud…

• Promoting collaboration and networking with professionals who work with students and their families, creating an atmosphere of cooperation with teachers that improves students' emotional security.

• Implementing reference persons when needed at different times throughout the school year.

Educational Policies towards an Inclusive School

In terms of the educational policies necessary for true inclusion, the following measures are essential:

• Recognise the special educational needs of adopted and foster children in the Laws on Attention to Diversity among pupils in schools.

• Include Early Adversity in teacher training in Faculties of Education and in all university studies or training courses related to childhood.

• Establish common protocols for all centres in the process of schooling adopted and fostered children, covering all necessary aspects.

• Leverage the experience of other communities in training professionals in this field and promote actions similar to existing ones that are generating positive results.

• Compile resources developed by different departments and entities and promote them for use by education professionals.

• Promote the diffusion of essential documents through government websites, with regular updates, so that they are visible and accessible.

Summing up:

“We must promote an inclusive school where all differences are welcome and where all students feel valued and have the same opportunities to develop”